These Hands Stained Red
by takokunnn
Summary: Enter Kageyama Tobio, the tragic consequence of a rich wife's affair and part-time serial killer. Now, enter Hinata Shouyou, his friendly neighbour and possibly next victim. Their mutual love of volleyball results in a closer relationship between the two, but it's hard balancing a life of murder with one of normality, especially now that he's the target of an experienced hitman.
1. Chapter 1

Kageyama gently pokes the yellow tape. Flimsy, but enough to get the message across. He glances up across the tape and towards the cluster of officers scattered about the perimeter. One of them, noticing his gaze, and wanders over. Stress is evident in her eyes and she frowns apologetically.

"Hey, sorry for the inconvenience, this area's under investigation," she tells him.

"Ah, sure. Sorry to bother you," he replies, bowing slightly.

Kageyama knows that a murder case had happened here, even though the officer did not reveal anything to him.

He would, since he was the one who committed it.

The moon casts a tender glow on the sidewalk and the wind smells like wet grass. He draws in a deep breath, enjoying the aura of tranquillity that hangs about the streets. That was the third kill this month, he recalls. He feels like he's in a pretty good mood.

The walk back to his apartment is short and rather uneventful, save for a couple taking late night strolls. An owl hoots in the distance. Humming slightly, Kageyama soon reaches the lobby and tries to wait for the lift patiently. Cold air envelopes him and he can't help but pull the jacket a little tighter. If only the elevator would hurry up, he sighs.

Ding, the sound is pleasant to his ears. He takes a step forward, eager to enter-

"Ah, sorry-"

A rush of orange tumbles into his vision and Kageyama catches the start of a surprised shout. A body rams into his own and the force propels him backwards. For a split second, it seemed as though he is floating, and then oh what thE HECKSOMEBODYHELP-

Pain erupts in his chin and e lays on the cold and unforgiving floor, temporarily immobilised. His ears are ringing and he blinks sluggishly. Black creeps slowly away from his vision and Kageyama blinks again, just for good measure. The realisation that his body is weighted down by another's finally dawns on him.

The other boy groans, pushing himself up slowly. A hand reaches up to rub a rapidly reddening spot on his forehead. Kageyama can't help but notice his eyes, hazel brown and shining in the artificial glow of the lobby lights. His eyes trail down the curve of a sharp nose and comes to rest on the stranger's lips, rosy red and slightly parted. His skin is pale, but with a hint of faded tan, and nearly free of blemish. Kageyama wants to pour brilliant red all over this magnificent canvas of skin. Coat him with the colour of scarlet that would bring out the blinding beauty hidden within.

The stranger scrambles up and the spell is suddenly broken. Flustered, he throws out a 'Sorry, gotta go!' and then stumble-sprints out of the lobby and into the night.

Stunned, Kageyama glares at the retreating back of the guy. How rude! At least help me up, he thinks, complaining. Turning over to prop himself up, something brown catches his eyes. It stands out against the white marble tiles of the lobby floor.

A wallet, huh.

He takes it in his hands, feeling the smooth leather, slightly worn out but generally in good shape. Kageyama would like to examine it further, but the beeping of the elevator interrupts this process. Oh, right. He was obstructing it from closing.

Kageyama rises and hurriedly strides into the elevator. Ah, the warmth feels heavenly. Perhaps he should take a hot shower later and indulge a little.

As the elevator ascended, he leafed through the wallet, finding a driver's license in the process. The name showed says 'HINATA SHOUYOU' typed out in neat, blocked letters. Hinata Shouyou lives a floor above him.

He considers keeping the wallet as a form of retribution for Hinata's rude departure. His good moods convince him otherwise. Kageyama presses the button for the tenth floor.

I'm such a good person, he thinks, then laughs at the irony. Stealing is surprisingly something he feels uncomfortable doing and would rather avoid. He's never stolen anything from the people he killed. In fact, if he wasn't a serial killer, he might even be a model citizen. It's really funny how he would rather kill a person than steal their stuff.

Kageyama ignores the stop at the ninth floor and leaves on the tenth. The address is identical to his, save for the floor number. He finds the apartment with relative ease. At one glance, the shoes all belong to Hinata, though he knows better than to jump the gun when it comes to conclusions.

The ring of the doorbell goes unanswered. Huh, so perhaps Hinata does live alone after all. Kageyama sits down to wait, because Hinata could be planning to take the bus, but is missing his wallet. Good lord, his good mood is turning him into a completely different person, but Hinata could be running back right now with the conviction that he's forgotten it. Hinata could be... Hinata could...

"Hey, hey, wake up." Someone is shaking his body.

Kageyama wills himself awake. How long has he been out? What time is it now? Why must the weather be so cold?

A more pressing issue comes to mind. Ah, yes, the wallet.

"You dropped it," Kageyama hands the wallet over. Hinata's eyes widen in recognition.

"You waited, like, an hour just to return me this?" He gestures wildly, disbelief evident in his voice, "In this horrible weather? Even after I crashed into you?"

Irritated, Kageyama snaps at him, "I'll take the wallet back if you don't want it."

"Woah, not that I'm complaining, thanks a lot!" Hinata grins, moving to unlock his apartment door.

Kageyama stands and scoots out of the way, dusting himself slightly. He was about to take his leave when Hinata called him back.

"Come in and sit for a while, I've got some hot cocoa," he nods towards Kageyama.

Well, hot cocoa in this weather? It's too good an offer to pass up. His fingers are practically frozen stiff from the cold.

He follows Hinata into the apartment, observing the layout of the place. Eyes washing over the area, he identifies the similar structure of this place and his own. He lives directly below, after all. The living room is directly in front of the entrance while the kitchen is to his right. He supposes the bedroom is out of sight, along with any other rooms or bathrooms. The whole place, while not a mess, per se, is definitely not tidy either. Chinese takeout containers are still on the coffee table and the plants on the balcony seem to be wilting-

Hinata's hand comes into view and he swats it away, slightly annoyed.

"What the heck," he starts.

"Your name is what. I can't keep calling you 'guy whom I ran over', even if that sounds nice in my mind," Hinata says, "Stop judging the tidiness of my house and answer me already."

"I wasn't," Kageyama lied.

"You so were."

"I so wasn't."

"You were."

"I said I wasn't!" Kageyama added a "Dumbass." under his breath for good measure.

Hinata waved dismissively. "You're gonna introduce yourself or what?"

"...Kageyama. Kageyama Tobio."

Hinata hums appreciatively and tests it out a few times. Kageyama groans. Honestly, that sounds so embarrassing coming from his mouth. Why is he even here in the first place?

"Ah, the hot cocoa is ready," Hinata interrupts his internal lament cheerfully and makes his way into the kitchen while Kageyama busies himself with the only bookshelf in sight. Scanning across the various covers, he is pleased to discover that Hinata has a love for volleyball as well. Before he made himself into a killer, volleyball was his everything. Even now, the sport still has a special place in his heart.

Hinata shuffles over precariously and hands a mug to Kageyama, who accepts it gratefully. Noticing the taller boy's obvious interest, his eyes lit up with excitement.

"You like volleyball too?"

Kageyama nods, "I used to treat volleyball as though it was oxygen. Played it in school last time."

Hinata hums, saying, "If I weren't so busy with life I'd be a volleyball player now, on my way to the Olympics."

At this, Kageyama does a double take. "How old are you? You can't possibly be older than fifteen."

"What did you say?" Hinata screeches, offended, "I'll have you know that I'm eighteen! Eighteen years old!"

Kageyama sniggers, "You're way too short. I'm eighteen too, by the way."

If looks could kill, Kageyama might as well drop dead right now. It's rather obvious that Hinata is decidedly jealous about Kageyama's tall build. The cocoa is getting cold, though, so he returns his attention to the mug. They stay in silence for a while more, with Kageyama leafing through some of the volleyball magazines and Hinata sipping his drink.

"Hey, Wanna watch some matches together? I've got a few good ones," Hinata offers suddenly. It's been a long time since he last indulged in this hobby of his, might as well take a break from life and rekindle this flame of passion.

The change on Kageyama's face is immediate. The concentrated frown is replaced by the conspicuous excitement in his eyes in the blink of an eye. However, he still managed a frown of concern as an attempt to be polite.

"Are you sure? It's rather late now. I'd rather not disturb you."

"Don't worry 'bout it. If you need to get back your apartment is in this block anyways, it won't be inconvenient."

Kageyama can't point out any mistake in that logic, so he supposes that staying just a little longer wouldn't hurt. A much more vile part of his mind agrees, seeing that this is a chance to get the feel of this place. Know this boy better. Y'know, those investigations to familiarise with the victim and form a fool-proof plan? Yeah. 'Tis a prime opportunity.

The two settle onto the couch after Hinata had haphazardly pushed away the laundry. He assured Kageyama that they're clean. He just didn't have the time to fold them. By now, Kageyama has already memorised the rough layout of the place. He files it away for future references.

The match Hinata chooses is the nationals two years ago, and as he starts the television Kageyama sighs in content. It had been so long since he last got in touch with the volleyball-loving side of him. All the crimes might have gotten to his head a little.

As the match progresses, Kageyama struggles to fight sleep. The couch is simply so comfy and he's just so tired. It's probably like two in the morning or something. Kageyama steals a glance at his left. Hinata's already passed out, leaning against his shoulder for support.

Hell, he'll apologise and leave tomorrow morning. With the thought in mind, Kageyama finally embraces his much-needed sleep with open arms.


	2. Chapter 2

Kageyama wakes to the aroma of coffee and toast. He stretches and sits up, yawning loudly in the process. The clock on the wall reveals that it's already nine o'clock. Sunlight filters through the curtains, pouring onto the wooden floorboards. He tests a patch of light with his foot and finds it delightfully warmed by the sun. Mornings like these are promises of a good day ahead.

"The toilet's 'round the corner to your right," Hinata's voice floats out from the kitchen area.

Kageyama hums in reply, sitting on the couch for a few more moments, before finally standing and making his way there.

He steps around the corner and finds himself next to the door of the bathroom. The hum of the washing machine to his left is somehow rhythmic and soothing. He slips into the bathroom slippers, wincing slightly at their plastic texture.

Sunlight from the small window is enough to illuminate the bathroom, so Kageyama makes no move to switch on the light. Another yawn escapes his lips as he washes the bleariness away.

When he returns to the living room, Hinata calls him over to the kitchen. Kageyama slides into the chair beside him.

"Morning," he says to the other, who has already begun scoffing down breakfast at an alarming speed.

"Mhmm. You've had a good rest?"

"Yeah, I'm actually pretty surprised that you're this trusting. Don't people usually act wary around strangers?"

At this, Hinata scoffs, "But you're not a 'stranger' stranger. Anyways, you're such a kind person, what are the odds that you'll be, like, a serial killer or something?"

Kageyama lifts an eyebrow. _What are the odds indeed_ , he wonders to himself.

The ginger continues, oblivious to the tiny gesture, "Speaking of killers, have you read about the recent murder cases?"

"That I have. There's that guy on the run, right? Hasn't it been a year or two already?" Kageyama bites into his toast. Ah, egg sandwiches are his absolute favourite.

Hinata nods affirmative. Dropping his voice low, he whispers dramatically, "They've started calling him 'Sire Noble' now. Did you know that he never takes anything from his victim?"

"Yeah," Kageyama replied, "Have the police figure out his motives yet?"

A shrug is directed his way. "Who knows? All I can say is that he's a real creative guy, morbid as it may be. Have you seen the reports? One of his victims had her fingers broken off and sealed in the cookie jar!"

 _Mid-twenties. Single mother. Two kids. The murder was committed a fortnight ago, downtown. The woman denied her children of a comfortable life, yet she herself indulged in one, thanks to a sugar daddy of hers. A hypocrite. A shot of her with the rich man was taken and he placed it in the jar, along with her broken, bleeding fingers. The children's lives weren't spared either; making them orphans would be much crueler._

Kageyama added, "There is also a recent murder, right?"

"Yeah, they discovered him yesterday. Found his wedding ring sewn to the walls of his stomach."

 _The kill yesterday. Man of mid-forties. Cheated on his wife. Kageyama saw her sobbing on the sidewalk when he took his morning jog a few days ago. It appeared that the man threw her out during a fight. He seemed insistent on eating his wedding vows, so Kageyama helped him a little._

"Y'know, normal people don't usually talk about grizzly murders during breakfast," Kageyama commented.

Hinata laughs, "A conversation goes both ways, so you're weird too."

A relaxed ambiance hangs in the air as the two settle into a comfortable silence. Honestly speaking, Kageyama thinks that he's never had such a pleasant meal with anyone before. Feels like a nice change of pace from his usual solitary life.

All good things eventually come to an end, though, and breakfast is finished soon enough, with Kageyama taking his leave.

"Thanks for everything, I'll be returning home now."

Loud clatters resonate through the apartment as Hinata dumps the dishes into the sink. "Wait a second, I'm coming!" he shouted, already bouncing over.

"So where'd you live?" He asked as he sent the other off, "Are we close neighbours? Do I get to visit you as well?"

"I live directly below so you better not cause a ruckus at night."

"Or what, you're gonna come kill me?"

Looking at Hinata's taunting face, he almost wants to laugh aloud at the irony. Life is just amazing sometimes, no?

Back at his own place, Kageyama prepares for his next homicide.

"I'm on a killing spree," he tells his reflection, who stares back at him with horrified eyes and flushed cheeks. His hair is a mess, plastered to his forehead and glistening with sweat. A trembling hand clutches the pages of illegible scribbling and calculations.

He looks like a wreck, barely contained excitement shimmering under the surface, tension reaching a dangerous peak. This next case will be absolutely stunning, he's gotten it all planned out, a masterpiece of exquisite taste. Kageyama breaks into a smile, extremely pleased with his work.

"Hinata," he says on a whim, liking how the name rolls off his tongue as smooth as honey would.

As smooth and rich as the boy's blood would, if one simply presses onto his skin a sharpened blade. The cream, the orange and the scarlet would blend together like the dancing flames of an inferno. Wild, unrestrained bursts of colours flash across his eyes, burn him, awe him, engulf him. His hand itches for the handle of a knife.

He wants to cut-

 _needs_ -

Kageyama suppresses a shudder. _Calm down_ , his reflection childes him.

"Calm down," he repeats, and does.

Focus should be on the current projects first, he tells himself. Tonight he will strike again, unexpected, as people all around are still basking in the relief that _it's not them this time round either_. Everyone will be so surprised when they read the news tomorrow, he muses.

The newspaper cutting on his desk flutters in the artificial breeze of the fan. Kageyama glances over, frowning. As logic and rationality resettles into his mind, he ponders over his next move.

If his intuition is accurate, in this game of killers and victims, Sire Noble can no longer monopolise the playing field.  
He reads the newspaper article again, just to make sure.

The wedding certificate that he placed on the plate is not present on the dining table in the description. Instead, it is on the floor, as though knocked over by the wind. That might be what the newspaper says, but he had been careful to leave the windows closed.  
He trusts that the police are experienced in handling crime scenes. No one could possibly have opened the window... unless a third party had chosen to pay an uninvited visit.

Kageyama rubs his throat, slightly anxious. Hitmen and agents outside of the law are not as uncommon as one would think. In fact, he knows a few organisations- illegal, of course- which allows one to hire services such as these. Perhaps one of his victims had unfinished business with another? Or is it the corrupted side of the FBI, fed up with having him on the loose? The possibilities are endless.

Nevertheless, he isn't ready to give up on his scheme for tonight. The planning spanned over weeks and fear alone would not justify why he should leave his targets be.

The target is a family of four. Middle-income family. With the older son being an obsessive gamer and the younger being an Internet addict, he will be able to finish them off quickly. The parents are more troublesome, but he has a good enough hold on their schedule to know that about eight every night they'll be sprawled on the couch, eyes glued to the television screen. A family of gluttons and sloths? He has just the right setting for them.

The media will have a field day with this ones, he smirks.

By eight fifteen, Kageyama already has the bodies ready. Four tranquiliser darts stick out from each of their necks, the drugs inside effectively knocking them out cold for a much longer time that he will need to prepare his work. He draws the curtains and turns off most of the lights.

Rummaging through the bag he brought along, the boy finds latex gloves and takes the leather ones currently on his hands off, slipping the former ones on. Now comes the hard part.

Kageyama never liked draining the blood of his victims and he tries to avoid it for most of his murders. Liquid is especially hard to  
manipulate, but he has had enough experience to prevent it from becoming messy. A bucket is the necessary first step.

The precise slice of the knife opens up the vessel in the neck. He hold the bucket in place until the spray turns to a leak. Grimacing slightly, he does the same for the other three bodies.

Now for the setup, a much more favourable part of the whole process. Kageyama strides into the kitchen, opening drawers after drawers until he finds what he needs. Four wine glasses, a couple of plates and some utensils are bought back to the living room.  
Arranging them in a formal set-up is the easiest part. After that, he retrieves a wine bottle from the cabinet, a Robert Mondavi, and enters the content into the bucket as well. Setting the mixture aside for it to set, he gets ready the scalpel and proceeds to lift up the shirt of the oldest victim.

"As the head of the family, you should provide for your wife and your kids," he mutters, placing the scalpel onto the man's oversized stomach with trained precision. Pressing slightly, he makes a small cut-

The door bell rings.

Surprised, Kageyama flinches, almost gutting the body.

"No way, a delivery right now?"

He should have taken into account the spontaneity of the family as well as their love of pizza. Sighing, the victims were temporarily abandoned as he made his way to the door, tranquiliser gun in hand.

 _How the hell should I handle this situation? The pizza delivery guy would be missed if he doesn't return, but I can't leave him be either, it'll attract suspicion._

Kageyama swears quietly under his breath. Seems like tonight's plans are going to be washed down the drains. What a waste. He is really going to do a number on this guy just for the sole purpose of spiting him. A tad childish, given the situation, but he will not have it any other way.

The doorbell rings again as he reaches the front door. _I'm coming for you_ , he exhales, very much annoyed.

"Hey, anyone at home? It's the pizza delivery!"

Kageyama's hand freezes inches from the doorknob. He knows this voice.

 _It's Hinata Shouyou_.


	3. Chapter 3

Kageyama stills, breath caught in his rapidly constricting throat. _Not yet_ , his mind screams at him. He hasn't even started drafting the outline for that particular future homicide.

(And also Hinata's sandwiches taste absolutely delicious, he'll get the most out of that impressive set of culinary skills first.)

Keeping his noise to a bare minimum, he backs away from the door as briskly as humanly possible. He cannot afford to alert the ginger to any living presence inside the house. Hopefully the boy will think that he's gotten the orders mixed up or something, and _leave_.

Hesitantly, Hinata calls out, "Uh, hello? If there's no one at home, I'll be going on my way-"

It just so happens that absorbed in his intense irritation to get the door, Kageyama did not observe the surroundings of this hallway properly. With such little attention directed to his environment, it is understandable that he would fail to see the proud display of family heirloom.

This particular heirloom is such a beautiful, intricately carved vase that its owners simply had to give their guests a good view of the antique upon entering the house.

Or, in other words, located directly in the path of Kageyama's rapidly retreating figure.

 _Wha-_

The vase topples, falls, and shatters on the floor the way his hope for a good outcome tonight does.

Kageyama has never felt a stronger need to punch himself until now.

Outside, Hinata's alarmed voice grows louder and louder. "Oh my god, what was that? Are you alright? Hey, can you hear me?"

Kageyama, on the verge of panic, evaluates his choice.

Fight or flight.

He sprints for his bag.

"Hey, I know you're in there! I-I'm calling the police!" Heavy banging sounded through the door and Kageyama begs for it to be stronger than it looks.

Hinata, sick with worry about his customer's welfare, kept at the door, until he decides to try the doorknob instead.

He turns it and finds the door unexpectedly unlocked.

 _Oh_.

Just as Kageyama slings his bag over a shoulder, the front door creaks open. He hears tentative footsteps coming closer.

He hides behind the bookshelf, gripping the tranquiliser gun with a slight tremble.

There is only one dart left with a dosage fit for the other.

The dim lighting in the house sets an eerie atmosphere. Hinata gulps in distress. The ominous feeling manifests itself as sweaty palms, a horrible stomachache and shaky legs. He sees a broken vase at the start of the hallway.

Ah, so that's what caused the sound.

As he walks further and further in, an odour breaches his nose. He sniffs slightly. _Wine and... iron_? What could possibly result in such a smell?

Uneasiness continues to infiltrate his mind and he dreads what he would come to find. Ah, better get the police on the other end of the line, just in case.

"Hello? Yes, I'm currently-"

He turns around the corner, into the dining room and abruptly drops his phone.

Kageyama hears a clatter on the floor.

 _The police, huh? Good thinking, but you're forgetting a certain someone,_ he sneers, _Thanks for making it easy for me._ Training the gun on Hinata's nape, he pulls the trigger.

Hinata feels a sting on the back of his neck as he stares at the bodies in horror. Reaching backwards, his hand retrieves a syringe-shaped dart.

"Tranquiliser darts?" The last time he saw these, they were on a television programme about wildlife.

Confusion morphs into terror when the fact that he was shot finally registers.

Hearing rapid footsteps behind him, Hinata spins around in alarm. He catches the glimpse of a black long coat disappearing up the stairs to the second floor. He gives chase immediately, bounding up the stairs two steps at a time.

"Stop!" he shouts, as though the word alone would be able to apprehend the criminal.

The hallway is empty when he arrives. A quick survey of his surroundings reveals three doors, two open and one close. He takes his chances with the closed one.

His hand brushes against the plastic handle of an umbrella besides the door and he arms himself with it. Better than nothing, he thinks, grim.

Heart hammering in his chest, Hinata flings the door open.

The room appears to be empty, and he suddenly realises what a bad mistake this is. He shouldn't have acted on impulse; the police is already on their way.

As he makes up his mind to get out and wait for the police, the door slams shut behind him.

Kageyama grips the handle as Hinata struggles to pull the door open, tense with anxiety. _The problem with tranquiliser darts_ , he thinks bitterly, _is that generic dosages don't promise quick effects._ Before this, he had meticulously calculated the dosage requirements of each of his victims to ensure a non-lethal dose. Even though he was going to kill them anyways, the precision and efficiency of knock-out drugs never cease to amaze him.

But now, with him barely holding the door in place, Kageyama curses the fact that these things do not come with a 'One Size Fits All' option.

The door slips open inch by inch and Hinata jams the umbrella through, narrowly missing Kageyama's sides.

"I. Won't. Let. You. Get. Away," Hinata grits out, vision swimming with exhaustion. His whole body shakes from the tension. _Just a bit more_ , he wills himself.

However, the drugs, as long as it may take, finally starts to take effect on him, hastened by the increasingly rapid pumping of his blood due to exercise.

The weakening pull of his hands is the first sign that something is wrong. Hinata feels his consciousness wavering immediately after he loses his grip on the doorknob. He staggers, barely catching his breath, before crumpling onto the ground seconds later.

Kageyama, hearing the sound of Hinata collapse, lets out a sigh of relief. He leaves the body there, knowing that the police will have no trouble finding the ginger.

Upon his return to the living room, he notices the phone on the ground, still connected to the police. Pressing the 'End Call' button with a gloved finger, he smudges some blood on the screen as a petty revenge for Hinata.

The back door swings open quietly and he leaves, the house now silent. The motorcycle hot-wired from one of the downtown clubs roars to life at his hands. Of course, the vehicle will be returned later.

Kageyama speeds away into the night, moods darkened by his ruined plans and the unmistakable sound of distant sirens arriving.

 _A knock sounds on his door. Ukai looks up from his paperwork._

 _"Come in," he says._

 _The door opens quietly, then closes with a 'click'. Footsteps, soft, comes to a stop on front of Ukai's desk._

 _"Good morning, sir."_

 _"Yes?"_

 _"After much consideration, I am ready to accept your offer regarding that mission."_

 _Ukai smiles. Reaching into one of his drawers, he brushes past the cigarette packs and pulls out a clear folder. Inside the folder are the details for the mission. He hands the folder over._

 _"Sir, there aren't any pictures of my target?"_

 _"No. That is exactly why I asked for your help. Even though it's been some time since your last mission, I trust that you have the skills to overcome the obstacles you will face."_

 _"Understood, thank you."_

 _A finger traces the surface of the folder. Inside, on the first page, the name 'Sire Noble' is typed out in big, bold letters. Ukai cleared his throat._

 _"...One more thing, it has been a long time since your last kill. Do you remember who you are?"_

 _"How would I ever be able to forget?"_

 _A pause, as Ukai watches on with sombre eyes._

 _"I am Yachi Hitoka, a professional hitman."_

Two days later, Kageyama's rage dies down to slight annoyance and a concern for his dear neighbour. Bored, he decides to pay a visit to Hinata's and see how the other is coping. Taking a small cake with him, he arrives at the apartment and presses the doorbell. Barely half a second later, Hinata's exasperated voice reaches his ears.

"I'm not taking any more interviews, so please stop bothering me!"

"Oi, dumbass, it's me," he shouts back, somewhat rejoicing in the fact that Hinata is suffering too. That's what you get for ruining my work.

He hears the rapid thumping of footsteps and then the turning of a lock.

"Kageyama! What brings you here- oh, you brought food too!" An excited Hinata welcomes the other into his apartment.

Kageyama observes Hinata from the side of his eyes. Dark, tired circles hang underneath his eyes and unkempt hair shadows his face. The apartment is also in a worse state than he remembers; laundry scattered here and there, greasy plates piled up in the sink, et cetera.

"I'm so relieved to see you, the interviews are driving me crazy."

Kageyama snorts, "Glad to hear. By the way, have you recovered from the incident?"

Huffing, Hinata replied, "I guess? Honestly speaking though, I thought Sire Noble would have killed me. Everyone's talking about how pissed he must be to have his work ruined like this."

"You shouldn't be so stupid, then. Running head-first into things you can't handle."

Hinata hands a piece of cake to him and says, "I can't help it, what if somebody was in trouble? I'd blame myself if I realise I could have helped but didn't."

"Learn how to protect yourself, next time you might not be so lucky."

"You say that as though you expect me to interrupt a murder again," Hinata deadpans.

They eat the cake in silence, until Kageyama asks, "Are you really alright? Most people don't get over these things so fast, you know. It was a life-and-death situations, after all, and there were dead bodies too."

Hinata remains silent. Gathering his thoughts, he turns to face Kageyama, who parrots the movement.

"I think I can be considered relatively strong when it comes to emotional stuff. My parents died when I was younger. If I can handle that, then deaths shouldn't bother me that much."

Kageyama stiffened. As much as he hates to admit, he understands the effects which a lack of parental love can cause.

"I'm sorry-"

Hinata waves him off. "Don't sweat it, it's fine. A friend of my father took me in after that. I moved out on my sixteen birthday, yet he still insists on paying for my expenses. He's like a second father to me."

His eyes light up with a sudden thought, "Ah, yes, I forgot to tell you, but have you heard of the new album by the band 'Shira Tori Tori'? It sounds super nice..."

Listening to Hinata chatter on about random topics is calming, Kageyama realises. It makes him more relaxed than he's ever been before. The crimes, bouts of insanity and unpleasant memories are pushed away and covered by Hinata's presence.

"Kageyama, do you have anything on later? We can go get meat buns together. I heard there's a great restaurant nearby."

"Sure, but I'm helping you clean the apartment first. Honestly, how can anyone even remotely human live in such horrible conditions?"

"Ugh, it's not that bad, clean freak."

The laughter that ensures fills the place, lightening Kageyama's heart and taking away a heavy burden he never knew he had. Guilt, perhaps?

To his surprise, he finds himself laughing alongside the ginger, more freely than he had ever done before.


	4. Chapter 4

There is a reason why Kageyama dislikes going online to source for news reports of his murders.

Scrolling down to the comments section is a bad habit of his, like eating chips while one is on a diet, or not bringing an umbrella when the broadcast announced the possibility of rain. Some call him a monster, heartless and many more others descriptions that he is not so uncouth as to repeat.

He is alright with that.

However, there is one type of response that always manages to grate on his nerves.

He sees the first comment and, despite the warning bell sounding in his mind, reads it against the bright glare of the screen.

' _Serve them right, they deserve these deaths_.'

Then another one of these.

And a handful of anothers.

And while Kageyama doesn't necessarily have his moral compass pointing in the right direction, he can feel the disgust and rage coiling in his stomach. His mind spins. The nausea increases tenfold.

 _The difference between us is that I know I am a monster and you don't._

The nickname 'Sire Noble' leaves a bitter taste on his tongue, because he is anything but noble.

A knife finds its way into his hands and Kageyama grips it tight, shaking. He takes comfort in the familiar texture of its handle. His efforts to will his anger away are all in vain.

"Don't call me a hero," he wants to scream, but the voice comes out as a broken whisper, "I kill for myself. Myself, and no one else."

 _Selfish, spoilt boy,_ the mirror taunts. Kageyama smashes it to pieces. The sound startles him more than the pain in his fist does.

A myriad of reflections, all him, all desperate. His knee gives away under him.

 _You're crazy_ , they say, and the voices are in his mind. They don't shut up.

"I knew that a long time ago," he replies.

* * *

Hinata appears at Kageyama's doorsteps one Saturday, holding a volleyball in his hands.

"Show me how you play," he says, excited, as though this is their first meeting after a long, long time.

(It isn't.)

They spend an afternoon in the park, living out the dreams they never had the chance to fulfil.

"I think," Hinata pants out during their break, "that we could have been a great duo if we had gone to the same school."

"Yeah, me too."

The sun sets in the horizon as they prepare to return. Looking up, the skies are ignited by a blazing fire, brilliant red and orange splashing across the heavens. Kageyama draws a deep breath, awe-struck.

Sunsets... Red and orange... Blood and the boy...

"Hinata, your hair."

"Hm?"

"It's the colour of sunset."

Hinata glances up at him. "Is that a compliment?" he teases the other, hoping to provoke an embarrassed reaction from the taller guy.

However, it backfires when Kageyama, oblivious, answers, "Yeah, it's real pretty."

Caught off-guard, Hinata whips his eyes back onto the path in front of him as though the mere sight of the other burned him. He bites his lips, cheeks red. Who knew Kageyama can be such a _sweetheart_ at times?

"...You're blushing."

"I'M NOT!"

* * *

Back in Kageyama's apartment, Hinata cooks up a storm of a dinner for the both of them.

"Oi, Kageyama, come help me out once you're done with the shower!"

"Sheesh, don't shout in here," said boy replies, "but alright. Won't take too long."

The shower door slides close and Hinata is left alone to his thoughts. After washing the vegetables, he reaches for a knife, but notices something off with the set-up.

 _Kageyama's knife set is weird..._

Sure enough, some of the more specialised knives, like the cheese knife, are not included. However, an excess of the generic kitchen knife are on display, most of which look brand new. There is only one obvious knife that's gone through the process of cooking anything before, so he uses that for cooking instead.

"He doesn't cook much, why does he even need so many kitchen knives in the first place?" Hinata ponders aloud.

Just as he finishes chopping up the cabbages, the bathroom door slides open with a _bang_.

"Kageyama, why'd you have so many knives?"

Kageyama, in the process of drying his hair, jolted in surprise. _Ah! I forgot to put the new knives away!_

"...Would you believe me if I say I'm paranoid about a late night visit from Sire Noble?"

Taking the slight hesitation for embarrassment, Hinata snorted, "Knives left here won't do you much good if you sleep in the bedroom, dumbass."

A vein pops out in Kageyama's forehead. "Don't call me the dumbass, dumbass! Are you telling me to sleep with my knife set?"

Nervous laughter bubbles out of Hinata when he realises the flaw in his logic. It sure would be weird to sleep with a knife, wouldn't it?

(But he can totally see Kageyama doing that, the weirdo he is. _No, banish that thought, it's so weird!_ )

Changing the topic quickly, he said, "Now that you're out, help me to cook while I shower."

Teaching Kageyama is fairly easy, but expecting him to remember everything might not be. Fingers crossed, Hinata enters the bathroom hoping for the best.

Outside, Kageyama stares at the pan in his hand. _What's it called again... stir-fry?_ Letting out a sigh of resignation, he tries to follow Hinata's vague instructions. Already he can feel them becoming more and more blurred in his head.

 _Dammit, there's a reason why I don't cook much_ , he thinks.

Hinata steps out of the bath, clean and refreshed, to a table of borderline-horrible overcooked food.

("...At least it's edible.")

("Shut up, dumbass.")

* * *

After dinner, Hinata refuses to leave the comfort of the apartment and they end up on Kageyama's couch. A movie is playing on the television, but neither pays much attention to it. The light drizzle that started during dinner only intensified as time passed on.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be going home already?"

Hinata grins, "It's raining outside, I'll get soaked."

Snorting, Kageyama replies, "Dumbass, you live above me. This excuse won't work."

Still, he doesn't make a move to throw the ginger out, happy to have such nice company. A small smile graces his lips as he glances down at the shorter boy-

-only to see Hinata staring at him with a weird look.

"Is there something on my face?" he asks.

"A-ah, yes! I mean no!" Hinata stutters, feeling warmth creeping up his cheeks, "Sorry! Its nothing!"

He pretends to focus on the television under Kageyama's perplexed gaze, only relaxing after the other shrugged, turning back to the movie.

Hinata tries to convince himself that absolutely nothing is going on in his mind, but the pounding of his heart proves otherwise.

 _Stupid Kageyama and his stupid smile! He usually looks super scary when he smiles, right? I must be exhausted and hallucinating, yes, that must be the reason! We've only known each other for a couple of week or so anyways..._

"Kageyama, we've grown to be real close in such a short time it seems almost impossible," Hinata observes, his fierce internal conflict forgotten for the moment.

Kageyama hummed, "I guess lonely people have to stick together, huh?"

Sticking out a tongue, Hinata huffs, "I actually have a life, unlike you!"

"Oh, really? Then why're you constantly pestering me, hm?"

"I've got friends, y'know," he grumbles.

"Yeah, that's why I'm glad you stuck around," Kageyama replies absentmindedly, the small smile reappearing on his face yet again.

Needless to say, Hinata almost got another heart attack.

* * *

It's the middle of the night when he wakes. The television is buzzing with static, the movie having ended long ago. Hinata quietly switches it off with the remote. The rain outside has slowed to a light drizzle again, softly falling on the windowpane. The apartment is quiescence, silent, save for the sound of the rain and Kageyama's soft breaths.

Hinata lays his head back on the other's chest, rising and falling to the rhythm of his breathing. Somehow, along the night, they've come to rest in such a position, with Kageyama's back to the couch and Hinata curling up on top of him.

His eyes glances up to the other, drinking in the details of the peaceful face. Under the illumination of the moonlight, Kageyama's face holds an unnatural glow to it. His lips, pale in the dark, is a dedicate curve of a crescent moon. The eyebrows usually sloping downwards to form a frown are flattened out, two thin, relaxed lines above his eyelids.

An eye flutters open, then the other as well. Orbs the colour of night stares back at him.

"Did I wake you?" Hinata questioned, slightly surprised.

"Not really, you should go back to sleep," Kageyama muttered.

Feeling the edges of his mouth curl up in content, Hinata snuggles closer to larger boy, yawning. He can hear the dull _thump, thump_ of heartbeats underneath his head.

"G'night, Kageyama."

 _I think I'm falling in love with you_.

* * *

Kageyama observes the boy silently. Fingers, cold and pale, reach up to stroke those locks the colour of the sun, but pauses mid-way only to fall back against the side of the couch.

("It's because of trust that I can spike your tosses without looking at them," Hinata explained.)

Kageyama closes his eyes, no longer able to look at Hinata.

(Precious, naive, lonely Hinata.)

 _This trust will be the death of you_ , his mind whispers.

He hugs the other just a little bit tighter.


	5. Chapter 5

The lift door is about to close when someone rushes in with a high-pitched 'Ack, sorry!' thrown his way. Kageyama, annoyed, observes the girl from the corner of his eyes. She seems really nervous, fidgeting non-stop.

"Say, do you know Hinata Shouyou?" He asks her. She has a striking resemblance to said boy and he can't help but wonder, especially since she pressed the button to the tenth floor.

The girl jolts in surprise, startled. "Ah, um, yes! We're siblings! But not really!"

Kageyama stares at the girl, more confused than ever.

He opens his mouth to ask another question, but the elevator door opens with a _ding_ before anything can come out of his mouth. Exiting after only a moment's hesitation, he decides to ask Hinata about this sibling-not-really of his later.

"Oh, you mean Yachi! She told me about you just now," Hinata says, sprawled on the recently vacuumed floor of his apartment, because he would only dare to do so when it's clean.

(Usually Kageyama has to push him to tidy up the place. _It's so domestic_ , Hinata thinks.)

"Are you guys siblings?" Kageyama queries, cutting straight to the point. It's been bothering him the whole day. ' _Siblings! But not really!_ ' sounds awfully confusing.

Hinata looks up from his magazine, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Well, we aren't blood-related, though people always think otherwise. I guess it's the eyes. But we were raised together so we're really close."

Kageyama frowns, _Didn't his parents pass away when he was really young_?

As though reading his mind, Hinata adds on, "Remember that guy I told you about? The one who took me in? Yeah, he's Yachi's dad."

"Huh, so you guys _do_ fit the description of 'siblings, but not really'."

"You're still going on about that?"

Rolling his eyes, Kageyama says, "You would too if you've been thinking about it the whole day."

"Mhmm, sure."

They stay quiet for some more time, the only sound being the music coming from the radio. A piece of classical, soothing, creates a calm atmosphere around the two, one of which is reading his magazine while the other surfs the Internet. Hinata sips his orange juice, enjoying the air of laziness that hangs in the air.

"Hinata."

"Mhmm?"

"Go out with me."

Hinata promptly chokes on his drink.

"You could've been more specific," Hinata grumbles, still recovering from his shock. _And disappointment_ , his heart supplies helpfully.

Kageyama shrugged, "I _do_ want you to go out with me tomorrow, so there's nothing wrong with saying that."

"Yeah, well, adding 'to watch the volleyball nationals' could've been really helpful."

"Doesn't matter. So, are you free?"

"I'm expensive."

"Shut up."

"Sorry to intrude," says Hinata, already stepping into Kageyama's apartment as though it is his own.

Kageyama greets him with a yawn, still clad in pyjamas and half-asleep. "Wait for me while I get ready," he mumbles incoherently, before shuffling back to his bedroom.

Hinata tails behind him with another 'sorry to intrude' hanging from his mouth, taking in the details of the bedroom with wonder.

"...Kageyama, did you actually take up my suggestion and sleep with a knife? I see one beside your bed."

"... Let us not talk about it."

Actually, once he overcomes the initial wonder of _it's Kageyama's room_ , he realises that the room is rather bare. There's a desk to the side and a closet behind it. Even the bed in itself looks bland enough.

Surveying the place more thoroughly, Hinata identifies papers neatly shoved into a shelf beside the desk. Some are newspaper clippings while others, print-outs. There's a few articles from magazines as well. Intrigued, he takes them out to read.

 _Kageyama's really interested in Sire Noble, all these are about him..._

"Our first conversation sparked the interest, in case you're wondering," Kageyama tells him as he reappears from the bathroom, looking much more awake than before.

The closet door opens with a slight _creak_ and Hinata leans forward, interested. "Eh, Kageyama, what kind of clothes do you have?"

"Nothing much, really."

"Nothing much my ass, I see a suit."

"Oh, that?" Kageyama gestured, "It was a gift from my stepdad."

Hinata hummed, "Nice guy?"

"Rich bastard."

 _Oh. Oops._

"Anyways," Hinata changes the topic, "Can I see that coat there? Yeah, that one."

He receives the coat from Kageyama eagerly, stroking the leather material with interest. Somehow he has a faint memory of seeing it before. Where was it again? _I can't remember, it's probably not important._

"Kageyama, lend me the coat, I wanna look like a badass."

"Why would you even want to look like that in the first place? This is the stadiums that we're going to, y'know."

Hinata, as usual, ignores the scorn thrown his way. The long coat doesn't fit him well, hanging loosely on his small frame. Nevertheless, it doesn't touch the ground, so Hinata suppose it's alright.

"Kageyama, how do I look?"

"Like a brat," said boy replied.

"Mean!"

Hinata wears the coat out anyways, with the intention of buying a similar long coat soon. _Who knew these things can make you look so cool?_

The sun is bright that day, but Hinata Shouyou is brighter, metaphorically so to speak. _Volleyball nationals! Real, live, volleyball matches! It's definitely been way too long._

Kageyama falls in line with the other's step, careful not to stride too wide. They may be (ex) athletes, but when they're not running, it's easier to let Hinata forget about the difference in their stride length.

(The last time he noticed it he was sulking for a whole half hour.)

"Hey, can we take a detour to the shop over there?" Hinata asks, pointing.

Kageyama squints his eyes in the direction of the gesture. A modest candy shop stares back at him from across the street.

"I guess so," he says, much to the delight of the shorter boy.

In the end, Kageyama bought a bag of milk candy just to shut the other up.

("Kageyama, candy. Buy me candy. I'll pay you back but please buy some candy for me. I'm dying of low blood sugar. Please please please please plea-")

Hinata takes a few from the bag before Kageyama keeps it away. Grinning, he tears open the plastic wrapper enclosing the sweet treat and pops it into his mouth. The rich flavour is just as he remembers and he rolls it around with his tongue, enjoying the smooth texture.

As for the few in his hands, Hinata stuffs them into his coat pocket to save for later.

"Come on, let's go!"

"You're the one holding us up, dumbass."

The rest of the walk was uneventful, save for mindless chatter on Hinata's part. They arrive at the stadium later than expected and hurriedly took up two of the remaining good seats.

Surveying the court, Hinata finds himself blown away by the intensity of their match. The spikes, the tosses, the blocks...

 _The welcoming smell of sweat and rubber invades his nose, he remembers how it used to be. The feeling of his hand when it connects with the ball, the solid sound of ball against floor, shouts and cheers of his teammates, everything is still so clear to him._

 _I miss this_ , he realises, and look at Kageyama's face only to see him making a similar stricken expression.

"Don't mind, don't mind!" A volleyball player- Hinata assumes he's the captain- shouts at the libero, jolting both Hinata and Kageyama back to reality.

The match ends soon after three sets with an 20-25 in favour of the team in purple and yellow.

Kageyama eyes the setter with interest, feeling nostalgia surfacing in his mind once more. _If I were to have met Hinata when I still played volleyball, would we had been able to come to such a place as well?_

He glances down towards the one beside him, still bouncing slightly and complaining about how 'I also wanna play, dammit!'.

"Come on, let's head back too," Kageyama says to him.

When they step out of the stadium, they are met once more with the magnificent sight of a sunset. Kageyama cringes inwardly, _Is the sky itself trying to ingrain the presence of Hinata Shouyou into my mind?_

As though on cue, Hinata pipes up, "Remember how you told me my hair is like the sunset? Now you'll always think of me when you see one!"

"Nah, I'll just get a headache."

Kageyama sighs. He is no longer sourcing for information anymore, all these time spent with Hinata have been used to get to know him better as a person, not a victim. It's terrifying.

 _I suppose I need another good homicide to clear my mind. It's been weeks since my last one, hadn't it?_

This time, he decides to take that homeless man downtown. That one who hasn't eaten food for two days even though Kageyama specifically gave him money to buy food with. The man bought drugs instead.

 _I'll put him out of his misery_ , Kageyama decides on his way home.

"Hey, thanks for today, I had a really great time," Hinata says as they reach the ninth floor. Shaking off the oversized coat, he hands it back to Kageyama, who takes it with a nod.

"Me too, volleyball is still amazing after all these years," he sighs with wonder, thinking back to the match from earlier.

The elevator beeps in distress and Kageyama moves his leg from the path of the closing doors.

"Thanks again!" Hinata shouts from the other side before the door closes completely, leaving Kageyama alone with his thoughts.

 _You do need a murder, let's pay him a visit now that his guard is down,_ his mind commands.

Kageyama rejects the idea immediately. _I want to take that homeless man first_ , he objects, _besides, I haven't even planned Hinata's case yet_.

He knows that it is but an empty excuse- he's been putting it off as much as he could since their initial meeting.

"Hinata is my best friend right now, friends don't kill friends."

 _Don't kid yourself._

(Sometimes he can't tell lies apart from truths.)

Thanks for the support so far, I have trouble using the reply system on FF so I'll just write it here. I also have an account on ao3, so if anyone has any pressing questions I'll be able to answer them there (until I figure out how the one here actually works).

I had trouble writing this chapter- no idea how outings are supposed to be like... Still, there's going to be more action in the upcoming chapters and I'm looking forward to writing them!


	6. Chapter 6

The man, intoxicated, did not make much of a sound when he was strangled. Now, he lies open on the floor beside Kageyama, covered in blood, bile and filth. The blood is gathering into a small but rapidly growing pool beside his feet. He steps to the side a little, careful not to come into contact with the liquid.

The knife in his hand had made quick but meticulous work on the man's major organs. Cigarettes jut out from small openings he's made in the man's blackened lungs and he fills the stomach to the brim with pills.

(Those are over-the-counter pills, but it's the thought that counts.)

The body stinks of rotten corpses and he breathes through his mouth in a futile attempt to curb the sick feeling welling up inside him. _Alcohol goes in the liver_ , he thinks, injecting the aforementioned substance into said organ.

After all is done, he sews up the body with deft fingers. Next, the man's jacket is pulled over his body to hide the scars. _I wonder how long it'll be before they find out._

Kageyama slips off his latex gloves and stuffs them into an empty zip-lock bag, taking with him the only hope the police have of finding the killer.

His mind drifts to his next possible kill. For the past months or so, all his murders were committed near this area. _I need to find another place to target when the police tighten the security of this place_ , he frowns, irked. This place is convenient and not that easily traceable. He likes it here.

Swinging a leg over the seat of the motorcycle, Kageyama switches on the engine. "This shall be my last kill here, then," he mumbles, taking off.

A pair of eyes watches him from the shadows.

Kageyama glances in the rear view mirror. The road is cold and bare, the night is dead, no one should be driving about at this time, other than himself.

So why is there another motorcycle behind him?

He keeps glancing to the mirror, trying to be subtle about the fact that he's noticed this other lone motorist. Kageyama takes in the features of the person, or, he tries to, but the night is too dark. Neither of their headlights is on.

Feeling something off with the rider, he speeds up a little, passing the turn he should be making to return to the apartment. _It's not safe to lead them, whoever they are, to my place._ The driver seems to have caught on to this change of pace and the motorcycle tailing him accelerates.

 _I knew this last kill was a bad mistake, seems like the assassin who's been sniffing around had caught my pattern_ , he realises, annoyed. Leaning to the right, his motorcycle makes an abrupt turn into a narrow lane. He needs to throw the other off his trail.

Another glance in the rear view mirror- They're getting closer!

He speeds up, now anxious, thoughts suddenly in a chaotic mess-

He steals another quick look at the rear view mirror.

 _Wait, I've seen her before, she is-_

Eyes darting from the mirror to the road to the mirror to-

A gun!

Kageyama swerves as bullets hit the black tarmac road where he was just moments ago. He swears under his breath.

She's Yachi.

 _Goddamnit all-_ as another round is fired, a bullet cutting too close for comfort, missing the side of his face by a mere inch-

He makes another fast turn into an alleyway before she can catch up-

Yachi steps down from the vehicle. _This turn leads to a dead end, there's no rush_. The pistol, equipped with a suppressor is gripped tight between skilled fingers.

Pointing it to the mouth of the alleyway, Yachi enters.

 _I see the motorcycle lying there, but the Sire is nowhere in sight._ Eyes flickering about and taking in the possible hiding places, the teen confirms, _No trace of him anywhere around, so it must be-_

Yachi jumps backwards, narrowly missing a blunt hit to the head.

Kageyama doesn't waste a second to recover as he swings the club again. _Good thing I found this lying in against the wall_ , he thinks.

He sees her getting the gun ready and delivers a kick- she can't manoeuvre out of the way in time- it gets her on the side of her shoulder and then there's the clutter of metal against stone. He kicks the gun away.

Kageyama brings out his knives- _sweet things_ \- turning them on his attacker without a moment of hesitation. She dodges- _skilled fighter_ \- pulls out her own dagger, gleaming menacingly in the dull light.

Yachi meets his blades, pushing with a surprising strength that matches his. He falters for a second too long.

She switches to the offensive immediately. He retaliates. Not strong enough. Not quick enough. A true agent of death, he realises, is absurdly skilled in combat, even though they would mostly stick to the shadows.

 _Seems like someone sent their best shot here_ , Kageyama grimaces.

He moves, barely avoiding the thrusts of the dagger.

Almost grazed him-

Just meeting the blows- his knife-

Drops-

Clatters-

He sees an opening just as she aims for his stomach and _kicks_ and then he feels the dagger digging into something- and he's panicking-

-and then she's reeling and collapsing on the ground and there's no blood on his stomach or anywhere else and he's not stabbed.

He's _not stabbed_.

Kageyama flees from the scene.

In the aftermath of this violent encounter, a figure slumps on the greasy concrete ground.

 _Ugh, kicks are the most horrible things to handle... I've gotta get Ukai to train me, my hand-to-hand combat skills are getting worse,_ Yachi grumbles, wheezing from the pain.

The assassin stands up, stumbling, still rather dizzy. Taking tentative footsteps to the vehicle still waiting patiently by the roadside, something on the floor caught Yachi's trained eyes.

 _I'm pretty sure I haven't seen this just now... what is it anyways- oh? Milk candy, huh. Did it drop out of the Sire's pocket? I'm pretty sure I created a tear in it just before he kicked me._

"Meh, what's important now is that I go home, take a well-deserved shower and get a good rest. Yep, that sounds like a good plan."

The candy is dropped into the front pocket of a battered leather jacket, for Yachi to think about later.

Sometimes Hinata likes to think about his life.

He's had a lot of ups and downs throughout these eighteen years on earth, but recently something good has happened and he feels alive just thinking about it.

Or rather, _him_.

"Ugh, Kageyama, get out of my head already," Hinata whines pathetically into his pillow. A glance at his mirror reveals a red face and he can't help but groan. _So embarrassing_ , he thinks.

Hinata's thoughts drift to that certain black-haired individual who tosses to him and goes on sleepovers with him and burns his food and has strikingly intimidating aura but is actually friendly and has lips that appear very soft and kis-

"I've got it bad," he realises, aghast.

 _Honestly, though, why him of all people? There's_ _Kenma_ _from work and Michimiya from fifth floor and childhood friend Sugawara, and_ yet-

Hinata sighs, "And yet, I fell for such a weird kid like Kageyama. I mean," here he waves his arms around as though to make a point, "It's as though he's _obsessed_ with Sire Noble, the way he acts. But I guess he's more obsessed with volleyball and maybe _me_ as well..."

Hinata falls silent again with no one to listen to his laments, a small blush gracing his cheeks.

 _Sometimes Kageyama can be really nice, he gave me back my wallet and tossed to me and treated me to food and even brought me to a volleyball match-_

Something clicks in his mind.

Kageyama, having stayed at a hotel for the night, checks out in the morning around nine. The weather is good, he can already feel his moods lifting despite last night's horrible encounter. On his way back to the apartment, Kageyama decides that today will be a good day.

 _Like that day I woke up to Hinata's breakfast_ , he hums.

He reaches the apartment after a short walk and takes the lift to his floor. The key in his hand feels cool to the touch. Unlocking the door with a _click_ , he enters the apartment and turns around to close the door firmly.

Stepping out of his boots, he lines them up neatly beside the door before standing again.

Kageyama turns around to a sight that shakes him to the core.

Hinata Shouyou stares back at him, face colder than Kageyama has ever seen before. His eyes, a swirling storm of rage and anguish and sorrow, betrays the cool exterior he puts on. Red frames the white of his eyes. His lips are drawn like a tightrope, thin and dangerous.

In his hand is a gun. The gun points to Kageyama.

"H-Hinata? Wha-"

"SHUT UP!"

Shocked to silence, Kageyama swallows.

Hinata continues on, all the while staring, all the while shaking. His voice cracks.

"I-"

The sound is wet and chocked and _intense_ , he stops, overwhelmed, then forces the words out.

"I am Yachi Hitoka, a professional hitman. I am here to kill you."

* * *

 _A/N: I'm sorry._


	7. Chapter 7

_When Hinata was four years old, his parents died._

 _"It was my fault to have sent them on a mission they couldn't handle," Ukai had told his secretary. He didn't understand what it meant, but the man had refused to come out of his office for three whole days. Sugawara told him that Ukai was 'grieving'._

 _Sugawara is six years older than him and much, much smarter. When Hinata asked him where his parents went, he told him that they 'passed on'._

 _"Will I get to meet them later?" Hinata asked._

 _"Not that soon, but one day when you're way older than this."_

 _He supposed he's okay with that, his dad like to call him a 'big brave boy', and big boys are patient boys, like Suga is._

 _Ukai, after the days of isolation, came to talk to Hinata. "Your parents are very dear people to me and I've committed a grave mistake sending them on that godforsaken mission. Will you be able to forgive me?"_

 _Hinata nodded, somewhat understanding that his parents were gone partly due to Ukai's fault._

 _"I won't blame you," Hinata said, watching how Ukai's whole figure seemed to slump with relief upon hearing those words._

 _"Since you still need an adult's guidance, I've decided to take up the responsibility to raise you into a respectable young man. I promise to try my best. Are you alright with this?"_

 _Hinata nodded again._

 _Eight years old Hinata returned home from school to a beautiful girl he's never seen around here before._

 _(Home to him now is, of course, the Crows Corporation Headquarters where Ukai worked. His parents too, but not anymore. He wants to follow their footsteps.)_

 _"Hinata, how'd I look?" The black-haired girl asked and her voice sounded suspiciously like his best friend's._

 _Ukai, who was standing beside the girl, broke the news to a dumbfounded Hinata, "Sugawara here is taking on his first mission. Because there've been more incidents of witnesses for the recent years, and subsequently more failed missions, as well as resulting deaths, I've introduced this new form of disguise."_

 _Sugawara grinned, "People are gonna underestimate me cause I'm a girl, so I'll be able to get the upper hand easily!"_

 _Still rather shocked, Hinata asked, "But your name would give it away?"_

 _Sugawara grinned, "Yeah, so I'm going by the alias 'Kiyoko Shimizu'. What do you think?"_

 _As Hinata was about to speak, Ukai cut in, "Kiyoko, you're gonna fail this mission if you don't hurry up and leave now."_

 _'Kiyoko' waved as 'she' left the two, ready to take on this first mission. Hinata watched his childhood friend leave when he suddenly remembered._

 _"Ah, yes! Ukai, I've been meaning to ask, when will I go on a mission as well?"_

 _Ukai frowned, "I'm not planning to make a hitman out of you."_

 _"Eh? But my parents were hitmen and now Suga is one too, why can't I-"_

 _"No means no, I don't want you to have to kill."_

 _"But I've been training-"_

 _"That's for self-defence," Ukai interrupted, "I want you to lead a normal life. No matter what you say, I refuse to let you go on a mission."_

 _Hinata, fuming, stormed off to the training grounds._ All I want is to do what my parents did, what's the big deal anyways? I'll get stronger so that when I grow up, he'll have no reason to refuse _, he told himself._

 _Having helped Sugawara prepare his disguise for years, Hinata knows exactly what to do._

 _Well, maybe not exactly. He still had trouble with makeup, so he left it aside. Looking in the mirror, he decided that the look is authentic enough. It's just how an average fourteen years old female student would look like._

 _Satisfied, Hinata glanced down at the folder he stole from Ukai's office._ The man's gonna have a fit when he finds out _, Hinata thought. It's a mission of low difficulty, perfect for a newbie._

I'll show them what I can do _. With that thought in mind, he left the headquarters with confidence._

 _Following the details given in the mission outline, he found the apartment with relative ease._

 _The smell of booze and cigarettes hit him hard when he went near the door. His target, a man of forty-something, should be inside this apartment._

 _Hinata knocks on the door. "Hello," he called out, an octave higher than his usual voice. Muffled shuffling sounded from inside and the door creaked open._

 _"Huh? What's it, missy?" The man asked, clearly surprised._

 _"Uhm," Hinata began, suddenly realising that he didn't think of a good plan, "I- I'm here to do a survey for the school! May I come in?"_

 _The man seemed to buy the excuse, as flimsy as it may be. He steps to the side and nods to Hinata._

 _"What's yer name, missy?"_

 _"O-oh, um, Yachi. Yachi Hitoka."_

 _Red. There's so much red. It's all over the man, spreading, spreading, spreading like a nightmare. He can't breathe._

 _The gun was in his hand and then it was on the floor and the man-_

 _Hinata felt the world spin and the room, the room closed in on him and he can't breathe-_

 _Then there was the bang of the door against the wall-_

 _-and he can't breathe and he can't breathe and he can't breathe and he can't-_

 _"Hinata! Sugawara, give me the paper bag right now. God, he's worse off than I thought."_

 _And something covered Hinata's mouth and he breathed and breathed more and the room finally slows to a sluggish stop. Warm hands were holding him up. He saw Ukai in front of him, eyes shadowed like the blurred memory of ten years ago._

 _(Sugawara called it 'grieving'.)_

 _"When you kill a person, it takes away part of yourself," Sugawara told him, "Ukai wanted you to never know this kind of pain." His eyes were mature and his smile was sad. Hinata knew he spoke from experience._

 _Sleep that night came only after the bouts of tears he shed. When morning arrived, he made the decision._

 _"Ukai, sir, I've already killed. There's no turning back now."_

 _("I am Yachi Hitoka, rookie hitman.")_

 _"Eh, Hinata? You're leaving?" Ukai stared at the teen, surprised._

 _"Um, yeah. I'm already sixteen, it's time for me to be independent."_

 _The man who looked after Hinata as a father figure motioned for him to take a seat. "What about your income? Where are you going to stay?"_

 _"I've been thinking about a part time job at a pizza chain, and I've saved up enough money for an apartment."_

 _Hearing that, Ukai sighed, "A part time job won't be able to support you. How 'bout this, seeing that you're one of my best agents, I can pay for your rent-"_

 _"What? I can't possibly-"_

 _"-provided that you still take on odd jobs every now and then. What do you think?"_

 _Hinata pondered for a while, thinking through the pros and cons. On one hand, he didn't really want to kill anymore people, but Ukai had been kind enough to give him those wanted for their horrible deeds, so it's still kind of alright._

 _On the other hand,_ a free apartment _._

 _"Osu!"_

 _As Ukai watched the boy he raised step out of the office with a grin on his face, he couldn't help but think to himself, Is this how a father feels when he parts with his son?_

 _Snorting at his own thoughts, he turns on the laptop to prepare the documents necessary for Hinata's leave._

 _"...I've become an old man, huh?"_

 _"I want you to think about it. The client is a relative of Sire Noble's victims and she is willing to pay a huge sum of money for his death."_

 _That was what Ukai told him. Hinata would like to do a bit more research before he took on the mission, so he told the other he would think about it._

 _That night, Tanaka, who is working with the police, tipped him off about the newest murder case and he left his apartment in a hurry, eager to get a glimpse of the scene before too many authorised personnel arrived._

 _On his way there, Hinata bumped into a grumpy-looking guy with a slight frown on his face. He felt bad leaving the other on the floor, but time waits for no one, so he didn't really have a choice, did he?_

 _Hinata made it to the house and sneaked in successfully. The stench of gore was horrible in the room. However, a professional is a professional, be they anywhere, so Hinata forced himself to work against the offensive smell. The stomach of the man was cut open and he caught a glimpse of something shiny inside._

 _Is that... is that a_ wedding ring _?_

 _Footsteps approached outside the room, signalling the arrival of police officers._

 _"Crap!" He muttered under his breath and left in a panic, not realising the fact that he's knocked a certain certificate off its original position._

 _Well, at least he'd gotten a first-hand feel of how this serial killer is like. Perhaps he should take on the mission after all. He would tell Ukai soon._

 _"Hey, be sure to deliver this pizza order on time," Kenma reminded him, "This family is a regular customer, don't let them down."_

 _"Yosh, you can count on me!"_

 _Hinata never expected in a million years to find the family dead, let alone encounter_ the _Sire Noble himself, but it happened, and it ignited a fire in him._

 _"I'll make you pay for this," he thought as he declined yet another interview from a reporter who refused to give up._

 _Hinata wants to stay by Kageyama's side forever. He thinks that Kageyama feels the same._

"I am Yachi Hitoka, professional hitman. I am here to kill you."

Everything hurts. Everything hurts so much.

 _(It's called 'grieving'.)_

* * *

 _A/N: Due to the persistent headache, I've lost motivation to work, so there you go, chapter seven. This is how Hinata came to be a hitman._

 _I've wanted to try this concept for quite some time already and writing his backstory was plenty of fun. I had to give him an alias and a thought occurred to me. 'Hey, why not use another character as his alias?' In the end, I ended up with Yachi._

 _Now, there are four ways this story can end. One, they both live. Two, they both die. Three, Hinata kills Kageyama. Four, Kageyama kills Hinata._

 _(I've decided on the ending already~)_


	8. Chapter 8

The blood in his veins run cold.

"You..." Kageyama begins, but the words die in his throat.

Hinata, whom he wanted to kill. Hinata, who taught him what it means to enjoy. Hinata, who needs to kill Sire Noble.

Yachi never existed. He should have known. The striking resemblance should have sounded the warning bell in his mind.

He knows there's a switchblade in his pocket. He knows the one in front of him is trained, perhaps even more so than him.

Hinata grits out, "I should have known... The knives, the newspaper clippings, the coat... I can't believe I only made the connection when I got the milk candy."

 _Regrets, regrets. That's all it ever amounts to, huh?_

Kageyama closes his eyes, takes a deep breath. When he reopens them again, they are cold and dull and resigned.

"Go on, then," the voice sounds monotonous, defeated. The gun pointing at him quivers.

"Shoot me already, stop wasting your time."

And Hinata looks about ready to crumble apart.

* * *

 _His family had issues. Mother looked at him, but she didn't see Kageyama Tobio. She saw the man who was there for her money and left when she bore his child._

 _His mother's husband, a business elite, didn't even look at him. Instead, he left a sum of money every month in Kageyama's bank account. The money was given to silence him._

 _Everyday, after school, he went for lessons in his tutor's private estate. That is also where he lived. His tutor was Oikawa Tooru, a man entrusted with the task of educating Kageyama. The man got on his nerves, even though he was but ten years old._

" _What? You failed another test? We'll do more practice later," Oikawa told him as he ate his dinner._

 _When the man heard about his latest accomplishment in the volleyball club, he put on a sour face. "Tobio, exercise is important, but your results are too! I can't tell your mother that I've made her son into a brute."_

 _Kageyama wanted to argue back that volleyball made him feel alive._

 _When he was fourteen, his mother withdrew his attendance from the school._

 _She said, "Teacher Oikawa thinks you'll be able to concentrate better without any outside distraction. He tells me your grades aren't good." Her eyes still looked through him. He showed her a plastic face._

 _When he saw Oikawa again, he grabbed the man by his collar. "Give volleyball back to me," he screamed, he shouted, he begged._

 _Oikawa made a deal with him. "Ace all my test and learn everything I teach you. If you satisfy my expectations, I'll let you go back to school and to your precious volleyball."_

 _That was Kageyama's first taste of despair._

* * *

When he looks at Hinata, he sees a reflection of his past self. Kageyama wants to laugh. _No wonder Oikawa liked to pick on me_.

And then Hinata opens his mouth but the words are all wrong.

"...Why?" The sound is broken.

 _("Tobio, sweetheart, you were a mistake.")_

"Why aren't you fighting back?"

 _("In exchange for money, you must stay invisible.")_

The rage that enveloped Hinata just moments ago seems to have disappeared and he looks tired and sorrowful now. Kageyama feels his chest tighten from the sight. He ignores it.

Hinata exhales shakily, "Why am I even asking you to fight back? You're my target. I am supposed to kill you. Sire Noble. Serial killer. I am going to put an end to your crimes. I will pull this trigger and I will end your life."

His voice is hard but the words sound hollow. Kageyama knows that Hinata is not talking to him anymore. He waits for the other.

The second hand of the clock on the wall ticks lazily across.

Hinata meets his eyes at last,"Any last words?" His gaze is hard and determined.

"Not really," Kageyama answers, passive, as he accepts his fate.

 _This is the end, then._

 _(Goodbye, Shouyou.)_

And then-

-Hinata looks away.

"I... can't."

The ginger chokes back a sob, but it's too late, the tears in his eyes overflow and before he can stop himself he's saying, "I can't do it, you- I- _I can't_."

"It's just- _I love-_ and I, I-"

His mind is a mess and he feels like a train wreck-

He lowers the gun-

-and there's a blur in front of him and his hand is empty and he's on the ground and he can't move and there's something cool on his neck and _oh it's a blade_.

Kageyama is holding the switchblade in one hand. He pins Hinata down with the other, who goes very, very still. One wrong move equates to certain death and both of them knows this.

"Pity, you had your chance," Kageyama leers, eyes still dull and cold and looking at Hinata.

 _(Looking, but not seeing.)_

"Love? Don't make me laugh."

 _(I am a mistake and no one can ever love me.)_

"I'm a monster, you should have known better than to blow your chance."

 _(I don't want to hurt Hinata, he's all I have.)_

"Y'know, I've wanted to kill you since the first day we met. Such a shame I didn't get to plan it out nicely. Could've made a masterpiece out of you," he announces, watching how Hinata's eyes widen in shock.

Oh, how the tables have turned.

Kageyama lifts up the switchblade and Hinata immediately struggles to get free. Their obvious difference in strength renders his efforts useless.

"Any last words?" Kageyama taunts, positioning it right above Hinata. The blade glints in the sunlight.

"I-"

The switchblade slams down with a sickening _crunch._

 _Mornings like these are promises of a good day ahead_.

The sun is too bright. The world is a blur. His ears are ringing. He can't breathe.

Kageyama forces his eyes to focus.

The blade, the blade is-

The blade is buried in the splintered wooden floorboards of his apartment, centimetres away from Hinata's neck.

"...Ka- Kageyama," Hinata chokes out.

Kageyama scrambles away from him. The room is spinning. His head is spinning. Hinata's hair is all the wrong orange and the light is too bright.

 _Monster_ , the mirror taunts him.

He has to get away from here but his feet refuse to obey. They feel like rubber. The glass door rattles dangerously as his shoulder slams into his bookshelf. He wheezes.

"Kageyama!" Hinata says again, urgent.

He can't breathe he can't breathe he can't breathe he can't breathe-

The back of his head knocks against the wall. Pain consumes his head. Vision becomes static for a moment. He has to get out of here but he can't see properly or move properly or breathe properly.

"Kageyama, don't-"

"STAY AWAY!" A scream tears its way out his throat. Raw. Feral.

That was his weapon and those were his hands. What had he tried to do? What had he wanted to do?

 _Monster, Monster, Monster_ , the mirror chants louder.

Kageyama feels his knees giving out under him. _Shut up_ , he wants to tell the mirror, but his mind is no longer his. All that comes out is a strangled sob.

And then a strong wave of-

Nausea-

The next moment he's on the floor and gagging and heaving and the mirror is too loud, way too loud and nothing but fluid comes out of his mouth. Everything is so wrong. It shouldn't have to be like this.

And the room is still spinning like a nightmarish merry-go-round. Rough static clouds his eyes.

The mirror screams at him, _Tobio, you were a mistake!_ And that doesn't sound like his voice anymore. He has to get away and get away and get away and get away-

His lungs hurt. His head hurt. Spinning, spinning the merry-go-round. Something sounds urgent, but he can't pinpoint what it is. Hinata, where are you?

 _Please stay away, you're not safe here._

And the room fades to black.

* * *

A/N: The format refuses to cooperate with me, so if you're hoping to read it in a better format then please visit ao3, sorry for the inconvenience!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the enormous delay. Couldn't access the Internet (read: general life problems & confiscation of laptop) Here's chapter 9 though. Please enjoy!

* * *

A piece of classical waltzes through the apartment. _Canon in D_ , Kageyama identifies. It is one of his all-time favourites. Consciousness creeps back slowly to him and he takes it gently, still rather disoriented. There is the feeling of smooth leather under his palm. He is lying on the couch, then.

 _How did I get here?_ He blinks open his eyes.

"Oh, you're awake?" a pleasant voice calls out to his right.

 _Definitely not Hinata, then._

The source of the voice draws closer- he hears the rustling of fabric- and then an angel- correction, a _man_ \- peers down at him. He has never seen this person before, he would have remembered if he did.

"Erm-"

A familiar shout of 'KAGEYAMA!' cuts him off and a dazzle of orange suddenly obstructs his vision. Hinata, with what he determines as a severe lack of grace and gentleness, screams with near hysteria.

"Kageyama you're awake thank god I thought you were seriously gonna die what even was that-"

"Wait, what was what?"

And Hinata gives him a pointed look and he _remembers_.

"Well, looks like my work here is done," Sugawara comments, "I'll be leaving now, Hinata."

Hinata sends the man to the door, "Thanks again, I promise I'll explain the situation to you soon." Despite Hinata being unable to tell him about their predicament, Sugawara still came around to help the other out, inspire of his curiosity, and Hinata is determined to give him the truth he deserves.

Just… not yet. He still has to sort out his own feelings.

The sound of the door closing brings Kageyama back to the harsh present. The fact that he's been left alone with Hinata registers. He closes his eyes, curling up on the couch, letting the soft sound of piano and violin blanket him.

Hinata's footsteps, almost inaudible on his floor, is agonisingly deafening. It rivals the furious beating of his heart, but only barely.

"Kageyama, are you feeling better?" Hinata asks, concerned. The other still looks rather pale, but he appears to be much calmer than before. A noncommitted hum is directed his way, but the pain is poorly disguised. It hangs in the air like a heavy fog.

Hinata takes a seat on the floor, resting his head on the edge of the couch, where he knows Kageyama can observe him without being observed himself. There is a faint feeling of nervousness, but he knows this will make Kageyama more comfortable with talking. The tension is already starting to diffuse.

"Do you want to talk?"

A beat of silence, followed by a faint voice, "...Sorry."

Hinata can feel a bundle of anxiety behind him, which, despite the situation, he finds absolutely endearing. "I forgive you," he says, the side of his mouth lifting a little.

A shark intake of breath sounds behind him, somewhere to the right.

"I remember trampling on your feelings, and making you cry, and trying to- to kill…" Kageyama's voice hangs at the edge of a break down.

"Are you sure you want to forgive me so easily?"

The question hangs heavy in the air until Hinata says, "Do I look like someone who holds a grudge? Besides, I know you're sincere."

Silence washes over them again, but this time, the ambience is much less tense. Hinata is patient when it comes to dealing with issues of the heart. Kageyama is grateful.

"Hey," he begins, "Can I... can I tell you about my first murder?"

Hinata remembers himself from four years ago, clutching to Sugawara like a pitiful lost child, clinging to his soothing voice as though it was a light to guide him through the dark. The murder was told, then retold, then retold a thousand times more. It tasted of death, but he had to relieve himself of the memory, or it would have consumed him alive.

Hinata imagines how Kageyama must had to handle it alone, with no one to go to, with no one to trust.

His heart aches.

"Of course," Hinata tells the other.

Movements behind him, then Kageyama slides down the edge of the couch, a cushion in his arms. He makes himself comfortable beside Hinata.

 _Canon in D_ ends and one of Mozart's follows after a short pause. The sweet melody calms his heart.

Kageyama starts, "Let's see... I suppose I should start from the very beginning..."

* * *

 _When Kageyama turned seventeen, he decided to buy a new laptop._

 _Every year his parents gave him money, as though he needed any more of it. Oikawa graced him with a tie, but it's not like he would be going anywhere fancy._

 _Sheltered as he may be, Kageyama knew that the laptop would give him a chance to reconnect with his passion, even if it's only through the cold screen of pixels._

 _Oikawa's estate offered excellent Wi-Fi and he found the password taped carelessly to the side of the fridge._

 _Of course, the first thing Kageyama did was to look for volleyball._

 _Volleyball matches were as intense as he remembered them to be. His hands ached for the feeling of a toss leaving his hand, arching through the air with grace and expertise. It would be just as he remembered- it would be perfect._

Wonder how much longer I have to wait, _Kageyama pondered. Surely he'd studied enough already? Oikawa, as infuriating as it may be to have to admit, is a rather good teacher._

 _Fingers crossed, he sourced for the syllabus outline. The first search result was exactly what he needed. "Should have done this earlier," he mumbled, clicking expectantly on the link._

 _He read it. Then re-read it. Then re-read it again._

 _Something's wrong._

* * *

 _Oikawa heard the teen before he saw him._

 _"I'm three years ahead of people my age, I've studied more than enough, why aren't you letting me back to a public school?" Kageyama all but shouts at him._

 _Two years had passed, and yet their relationship was still as bitter as before. Perhaps even more so, despite a grudging respect that existed between them._

 _Oikawa had eyes like a snake, cold, calculating. They didn't scare Kageyama as much as his words did._

 _"But Tobio," his tutor grinned, "you were doing so well in your studies, it'd be a shame to stop them now. Besides, you've all grown up now, don't waste such a good brain on volleyball."_

 _And the familiar taste of despair washed down Kageyama's throat, as bitter and scorching as he remembered it to be._

 _He felt a faint fear of drowning._

 _"I see," he grits out. Oikawa continued to watch him._

 _Watched as he gave a small bow with eyes downcast. Watched as he carried on with perfect mannerism, walking with grace back down the corridor. Watched as he turned the corner and disappear from sight._

 _They look but they do not see. They never do._

 _And Kageyama found himself blinded by red, a brilliant red of sorts, so bright and searing he couldn't bear to scream._

 _And the red gave way and he looked and he saw. He saw the neglect, he saw the shame, he saw the cruelty of those in his life. He saw everything for what they truly were._

 _A kind of rage burned in him, it hurt more than anything he'd ever felt before. More than his isolation, more than the deceit, it consumed him to the core._

* * *

 _"My, what a turn of events," he heard his voice speak. The cord in his hand trembled._

 _Oikawa's bathroom was extravagant, lavishly decorated, with an enormous marble bathtub surrounded by various exotic curtains and draperies. The smell of perfume hung in the air, prepared dutifully by a maid who had long since left for other chores. The water was warm, almost hot._

 _Kageyama hid behind one of the more discreet decorations. He heard Oikawa enter._

 _A rustling of fabric coupled with the faint hum of a tune, then the unmistakeable splash of water._

 _Oikawa took at least an hour each day to bathe. It gave Kageyama plenty of time to carry out his plan._

 _He gave the man time to wash up, to enter the bathtub, to close his eyes and relax. And then he made his move._

 _Kageyama slid across the marble floor, footsteps light as feathers. And closer and closer and closer-_

 _Oikawa, still unsuspecting, still relaxed-_

 _The cord in his hand made a sound as he neared-_

 _Oikawa, making an abrupt turn-_

 _His face, alarmed-_

 _Mouth opening-_

 _And then-_

 _The cord touches the water-_

 _The circuit is complete._

 _Kageyama watched as the man convulsed, body folding spasmodically. The whites of his eyes flashed. A moment or two passed. He collapsed, still twitching, and then the room was silent, save for the splash of water and Kageyama's laboured breaths._

 _He waited until the water was still again, then left the cord, still connected to the hair dryer, beside the bath. The plug was removed and transferred back into its usual place._

 _Kageyama felt immense relief._

 _Oikawa's body was discovered by a maid. The court ruled it as an accident. Kageyama's parents handled things swiftly and quietly. After all, no one was to know about Kageyama's existence._

 _The funeral was simple and plain. Rushed, even. If Oikawa were to see this, he'd have a fit._

 _"He was a nice man," Kageyama's mother sniffed into her handkerchief._

 _"He took care of the kid well," her husband added._

 _They looked at Kageyama. "I think I would like to try living alone," he told them._

 _His mother smiled. "Of course, darling, whatever you want." Her relief was thinly veiled._

 _His father offered to pay for his living expenses, as Kageyama predicted he would. The coward wouldn't want Kageyama to have to find a job, to provide personal information- be they real or forged- that would risk his wife's affair being found out._

 _Oikawa's various lovers were harder to handle, but all things will eventually settle with time. And a little bit of money, of course._

Love is such a fickle thing _, Kageyama thought. But it wasn't as though that realisation mattered to him. He was more than satisfied with living alone._

* * *

 _The red haunted him. With Oikawa's blood on his hands, Kageyama fluctuated between suffocating guilt and deranged high._

Kill _, he heard. The voice was his and it flowed in his sluggish head like sweet honey. Sweet, sweet, sweet honey._

 _Sweet kill._

 _His second homicide was quick and precise, the way he liked things to be._

 _Kageyama waited in the alley for her. A prostitute. She had blonde hair, faded from years of neglect, but her beauty was unmistakeable. Perhaps artificial, but still glaringly hard to miss._

 _He approached her. Her eyes reflected the beauty of the city lights, but she herself was the reflection of an ugly underbelly of the city. Heavy, sickening sweet perfume hung in the air. The skin-tight leather articles on her looked worn-out and uncomfortable. The prostitute's ruby lips parted, ready to deliver a greeting, but she was cut off._

 _Kageyama held a knife in his right hand. He stuck it in her throat, moving it left, then right, then left again._

 _There was a lot of red. He felt it dripping down his cheeks, felt his hand becoming drenched in it, tasted metal in the air._

 _His chapped lips were wet and warm. Kageyama licked them, then the red was inside him. It held the taste of salt and iron and a life that used to be._

 _He took another life._

 _Kageyama exhaled slowly. His clothes were stained. There was so much blood on him, but he could only see white. His mind was a peaceful sheet of blank._

 _Picking up his cloak from the ground, Kageyama slid into it carefully. Every single button was utilised._

 _Next, a heavy cloud of deodorant._ Better than the stench of blood _, he thought with a frown. An overpowering smell invaded his nose and he almost retched in disgust._

 _The walk home was uneventful._

 _Next day, Kageyama's daily newspaper showed that his victim had a baby at home. Sold her body for the money to feed him. The kid would be an orphan now._

 _Guilt was like a wall, and he crashed head-first into in, the air knocked out of him._

Wrong choice, _the red whispered to him, malicious. It creeped back into his mind. His vision wavered. Rage- this time, directed at himself- burned._

 _He suffocated in a sea of his mistakes._

 _"I don't want to feel like this," Kageyama choked on the words, think and sluggish and heavy. An impulse of violence took over and he found a broken mirror on the floor when he regained control._

 _This cannot go on. He had to do something._

 _For his third murder, Kageyama decided to pick someone whose homicide he can justify._

 _What started out as a coping mechanism, became an addiction, became an obsession, became a career, became art._

* * *

"I've never had anyone I couldn't kill before," Kageyama says, eyes betraying the faintest signs of wetness.

He feels a tad numb. The numb is not physical.

A pause, to gather his thoughts, then words again, softer, "I could have killed you. I wanted to."

"But you didn't," Hinata replies, "I'm still here."

"Yeah."

Hinata continues, "I could have killed you too, but I didn't, and you're still here."

The two lapse back into quiet, heart deeply bothered by the thought that they could have lost the other today.

Fingers intertwine Kageyama's own ones. "I'm glad you're here. I'm glad you're with me. I'm so glad we're alive and together and well," Hinata blurts out, breathless.

"Sorry I've fallen for you, but that would change with time, so please don't push me away. I know you're probably weirded out and all, but..." He trails off, unsure.

Hinata is afraid.

"You are my best friend," Kageyama says with all the conviction he can muster, because it is all he can ever give.

That alone is more than enough. Hinata understands.

"I know," he assures the other, "and you're mine too. I'll stay with you, you don't have to be alone anymore."

Kageyama's eyes are a thousand miles away. His jaws, set, tremble slightly. A hand clenches and unclenches, embedding deep half-moons in his palm.

"I'm a murderer, a monster-"

"Kageyama, look at me," Hinata urges.

Squeezing their hands slightly, reassuringly, the teen continues, "Look at our hands. These are not the hands of righteous men. They've fought, they've killed."

"But I don't care about that. I mean, I _do_ \- people lost their lives and all- but I care about you as well. I want you to be happy. I want to be there for you."

The music comes to a gradual stop, and they are left in the silence once more. Another squeeze of his hand, a gentle kind of prompting. It is unlike what Kageyama had ever experienced before. He thinks hard about their future.

"Will you still be here, even if I lose myself again?"

Hinata gives a nod.

"Even though I've taken lives of the innocent? Even though I can't promise that I will ever stop?"

His voice is laced with fear. The hidden question doesn't go unnoticed by Hinata.

 _Will you still be here?_

"I'll still be here," he says, because it's the truth.

"Even with these hands stained red."

* * *

A/N: Bonus Chapter coming.


	10. Bonus

_[BONUS]_

The office door creaks open.

"Ukai, sir!" A familiar voice calls out.

Ukai perks up, glad to have a distraction from his paperwork, "Hey Hinata, welcome back. How's your mission going?"

Hinata freezes, body halfway through the doorway. "About that," his voice sounds fairly nervous. Ukai identifies an ominous feeling in his gut.

"Can you, um, reject that client?"

Ukai sighed, "I had a hunch that it'll be too hard. You weren't able to find him, huh? There's not even a picture after all."

Rubbing his heads together anxiously, Hinata says, "Actually, that's not the case."

"I kinda... made friends with him?"

It comes across more like a question than an answer and Ukai does a double take.

"YOU WHAT?"

"And, um, we're planning to get a bigger flat and share rent so maybe you have to change my particulars-"

Ukai groans in exasperation, "Unbelievable!"

Slamming his head down on the desk, the man continues as an afterthought, "Well, at least I won't be shocked anymore, no matter what you throw at me."

Hinata grins, finally moving into the office. "With that out of the way, there's someone is like you to meet."

Lifting his head, Ukai notices for the first time that there is a teen behind Hinata, looking rather flustered and hesitating at the entrance.

"Ukai, Kageyama. Kageyama, Ukai."

"Nice to meet you," the older of the two greets, still rather concerned as to why this stranger is here in the headquarters.

"Hinata, you're aware of the security measures we have in place, yes?"

Said teen laughs, "Of course I do, but this is different!" Moving to stand adjacent to Kageyama, he pushed the other forward with a grin.

"This guy was my target, but I've convinced him to try working here instead!"

Ukai's heart stops. "Kageyama, you're- you're Sire-"

A reluctant nod confirms his fears.

* * *

Somewhere in the headquarters, Sugawara hears a wail of distress.

"Eh? That sounds like Ukai?"

* * *

A/N: I had a great time writing this story, but it would never have been so enjoyable without all your support, so for that, dear readers, I owe you my deepest gratitude.

There's a major exam coming up in a month's time or two (and another one three months later), so I'm still a tad reluctant about it, but here goes:

Thing is, I'm planning to write a sequel to this story. I've already have the main plot points ready, all I need is the time to write it, so if you're interested, please feel free to hang around and check up on me from time to time. Will be introducing a new character, but updates will be slow.

Once again, thank you all for the support. It's greatly appreciated.

Fanfiction dot net:

Veiled Curiosity: Thank you for the constant support, your reviews always bring a smile to my face each time I read them :)  
Vivid Nemesis: That's exactly how I felt when writing the story- Kageyama is so unpredictable when he's unstable.  
Johnnyjayo: I couldn't leave the children as orphans, sorry D:  
Lector Dominion: Thanks for the detailed review and support, it's always a pleasure to read long reviews.


End file.
